The present invention relates generally to a lock system for a horizontal container, and more particularly to a lock system in which a padlock is located within the container so as to not be exposed to tampering.
Containers, such as tool boxes and storage cabinets, which are used at construction job sites and similar locations for storing tools and materials, are typically protected from theft by means of padlocks. In many instances, due to the value of the tools or materials stored in such containers, it is additionally desirable to use containers having lock systems that shield the padlock so that the padlock will not be exposed to tampering, such as by attempts to cut the padlock shackle or pry the shackle from the padlock body
U.S. Pat. No. 4,290,281 to Knaack et al., owned by the assignee of this application, describes and claims a lock system for a container in which a padlock is mounted on a support within the container such that only its key insertion surface is exposed for external access. In a disclosed embodiment of the lock system for a storage cabinet, the support is mounted on a vertical stile of the cabinet A slide member is mounted on the stile for movement, and has means for coupling to the doors of the cabinet and maintaining the doors in a closed position when the slide member is in a lowered position. Locking of the doors is achieved through cooperation of a tang, which is pivotally mounted on the underside of the slide member, and the shackle of the padlock which is captured by the support. The tang is positioned for insertion between the shackle and the body of the padlock when slide member is in its lowered position. When the padlock is locked, the body of the padlock pushes the tang toward the shackle so that a notch on the tang captures the shackle thereby preventing a slide member from being raised to unlatch the doors. To in order to allow the tang to disengage from the shackle when the padlock is unlocked, the tang is mounted such that it is normally urged by its own weight to an inclined position from the shackle.
While the embodiment of the lock system illustrated in the Knaack et al. patent is very effective for preventing padlock tampering, it can be somewhat cumbersome and time consuming to install, especially in the confined space of a tool chest or cabinet.
A lock system which addresses this installation problem of the Knaack et al. system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,078 to Weger, Jr. The Weger patent is also assigned to the assignee of this application. Like the Knaack et al. system, the lock system disclosed in this patent uses a slide member with a tang for engaging a shackle of a padlock. In some embodiments disclosed in this patent, the shackle of the padlock is captured on the support by means of an easily removable U-shaped bracket which has a pull-up ledge with coaxial openings for capturing the shackle.
Although the Weger system provides certain improvements over the Knaack et al. system, it is still not entirely satisfactory due to the use of a free hanging pin, the lock system has the significant limitation that it can only be used in containers that accommodate it in an upright position. Furthermore, the correct operation of the lock system requires reasonably precise alignment of the tang with respect to the shackle of the padlock. However, since the tang is designed to hang freely on the slide member, there is no means for positively controlling its position. Thus, if the cabinet is not level, the inclined position of the tang will be affected, and the notch on the tang may not be clear of the shackle when the padlock is unlocked. Similarly, friction in the pivotable support of the tang or between the tang and the shackle or the bracket may prevent the tang from returning to its normal inclined position when the padlock is unlocked, thereby hindering the operation of the lock system. Because the slide member normally stays in the lower position, the doors normally remain latched in the closed position even when the padlock is unlocked. Thus, every time a user attempts to open the door, he has to move the slide member up to unlatch the doors. Although this arrangement prevents accidental opening of the doors, some users may consider it somewhat inconvenient and would rather leave the doors unlatched.
Various locking systems have been proposed for horizontally disposed locking boxes having an upwardly opening cover, as opposed to vertical doors. In order to prevent would-be thieves from prying open the corners of such horizontal boxes, horizontal storage cabinets typically include locking mechanisms at both free corners of the cover opposite the hinge. Horizontal tool boxes marketed by the assignee of this application typically include two padlocks disposed at opposite ends of the box adjacent the locking mechanisms for the free corners of the cover. Using two such padlocks can be inconvenient for the user in that two keys must be maintained and the two padlocks separately actuated to unlock the box. Moreover, if the box is disposed in a truck bed, transverse the vehicle, the user must unlock the lock at one end of the box and then walk around to the opposite side of the truck and unlock the opposite lock. Similarly, when locking the box, the user must ensure that both locks are locked. Thus, locking, checking, and unlocking locks at either end of the box can be a time consuming process with the potential for user error.
An attempt to provide a horizontal tool box wherein the latching mechanisms at opposite ends of the cover may be operated from one end of the box, a locking system for a horizontal container is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,126 to Weger, Jr. et al. This patent is likewise assigned to the assignee of this application. The Weger ""126 patent discloses a push button lock system having a push button lock mechanism disposed along opposite sides of the container. Depression of either of the push buttons engages and displaces a pivoting latch member to disengage the pivoting latch member from a rigid latch member extending from the lid, while locking the push button lock pivots the pivoting latch member into engagement with the rigid latch member. The push button locks along opposite faces are coupled together by a series of tie rods, a stirrup and brackets which provide movement of the pivoting latch member of one side by operation of the lock of the opposite side.
While the Weger ""126 patent locking system includes a relatively large number of moving parts, which may be susceptible to damage which could potentially prevent proper operation of the locking mechanism. Moreover, the disclosed lock system does not utilize a padlock, which is typically considered desirable by users.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,235,830 to Benje discloses a horizontal tool box which utilizes a single padlock locking system. The Benje reference includes a horizontally extending elongated tubular conduit which is spring biased toward one end of the box. The conduit includes two openings within its other face which are disposed to receive two spring biased pivotable latches extending from the interior surface of the cover. A lateral bar coupled to the tubular conduit by manes of a wing extends outward from the tubular conduit in order to facilitate movement of a tubular conduct against the biasing spring to permit the cover to be opened. Should the adjacent padlock be in the locked position, the horizontal unlocking movement of the wing is not sufficient to commit the tubular conduit to release the downwardly extending latches. The Benje reference, however, presents numerous practical concerns about safety as well as operation. For example, the Benje reference includes numerous relatively fragile movable parts and couplings, including the biasing springs of the latches extending from the cover as well as the pivotable connection of the latches to the cover. Moreover, the mechanism is highly susceptible to failure in that the tubular conduit must be slid a sufficient distance to completely release the spring biased latches were a biased into engagement with the openings in the conduit. This is of particular concern in that the spring biased tubular conduit must be held against the force of the conduit biasing spring while the cover is opened. Accordingly, if the tubular conduit cannot be sufficiently moved, the cover will not unlatch the user will be unable to open the box, regardless of whether the padlock is in a locked position or not. Further, the lock is disposed in the center of the front of the box, extending into the storage area, and the latching mechanism is large and cumbersome, likewise extending into storage space. This being the case, the components are highly susceptible to damage from the user lifting items in and out of the box. Moreover, the mechanism occupies valuable storage space. While the Benje reference attempts to minimize this concern by housing the mechanism in an extension protruding from the front wall of the box, the effect is the same. Finally, the Benje reference proposes a tool box which includes a central cover area which is not movable relative to the tool box, the central cover area being flanked by two movable covers hinged thereto. Accordingly, the Benje reference proposes an arrangement which utilizes two padlocks on opposite sides of the vehicle, rather than a desirable single padlock system.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to provide an improved tamper resistant lock system for a horizontal tool box. It is a more particular object of the invention to provide a horizontal tool box which utilizes a single padlock and locking mechanism with multiple latching points, each of which is simultaneously operated from one end of the box.
It is another object of the invention to provide a locking mechanism which is resistant damaged to due normal movement of objects into and out of the tool box. More particularly, it is an object to provide a locking mechanism which provides minimal protrusion into the storage area.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a locking system for a horizontal tool box which is resistant to failure. A related object is to provide a locking system which utilizes a minimal number of sturdy components which are resistant to failure and damage during normal usage. It is also an object of the invention to provide a lock system for a horizontal tool box in which the locking and unlocking thereof are accomplished by means of components whose positions can be positively controlled to guarantee the reliable operation of the system.
It is another object of the invention to provide a lock system for a horizontal tool box that can be left in an unlatched position after the padlock is unlocked to facilitate repeated opening and closing of the box cover.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a lock system which may utilize different sized padlocks.
In accordance with the invention, a high security lock system which requires a single padlock and can be operated from a proximal end of a horizontal tool box is provided. The lock system includes an elongated latch rod which is supported in the first body component of the horizontal tool box for sliding lateral movement between a release position and a latched position. Flanges having bores are disposed generally at the proximal and distal ends of the toolbox and extend into the enclosed space of the toolbox from the second body component of the horizontal toolbox. When the toolbox is closed and the latch rod is in the latched position, the latch rod is engaged with the flanges. When the latch rod is in the release position, the latch rod is disengaged from the flanges. The latch rod may be slid laterally within the toolbox between the latched and release positions by means of a handle accessible from the outside of the toolbox substantially adjacent the proximal end of the box.
Significantly, the padlock is supported within the toolbox with the key insertion surface of the padlock likewise accessible from the proximal end of the toolbox. The latch rod is disposed relative to the padlock such that when the horizontal tool box is in the closed position and the latch rod is in the latched position, the padlock body blocks the longitudinal movement of the proximal end of the latch rod to prevent the latch rod from moving into the unlatched position. Conversely, when the padlock is in the unlatched position, the padlock body no longer blocks the lateral movement of the proximal end of the latch rod. As a result, a padlock engaging portion at the proximal end of the latch rod is free to advance between the legs of the padlock shackle so that the latch rod may move to the release position. In this way, the user may operate both the latch rod and the padlock from the proximal end of the toolbox.
According of other aspects of the invention, the locking mechanism provides only minimal interference with the use of the toolbox, and the toolbox may utilize different types of padlocks. More specifically, the elongated latch rod is disposed substantially adjacent a front wall of the toolbox with the latching portions being offset therefrom only enough to permit engagement with the flanges. Additionally, the padlock is supported within the tool box by a bracket which may be adjusted to dispose the padlock shackle at different positions in order to accommodate different types of padlock designs while ensuring proper operation of the locking mechanism. The system also preferably includes an anti-theft mechanism wherein a channel is provided about one or more of the openings which receive the proximal end of the latch rod and the latching portions so that the latch rod and latching portions cannot be readily bent to disengage them from the associated opening.